The Motorcycle Girl
by zayhra
Summary: Amy did not expect much from that summer when her father asked her to work at his motorcycle shop. She also did not expect a handsome stranger to come through the doors and turn her world upside down.
1. First Impressions

**He first came in around the end of July. I was at the till, trying to fix it as it flashed and accused me of entering ****£999,999 into it. I was waiting for George to come by and fix it for me when the door sounded. He was very tall, with dark hair and light eyes. I glanced at him only momentarily before turning my attention back to the till, which was still blinking. I tried very hard not to give up, but I still slumped down on my chair and stared at it hopelessly. I woke up late that morning, had no time to get ready, skipped breakfast, and almost got run over by the bus on the way here. Sadly, this wasn't a rare occurrence in my life. Bad luck seemed to perpetually follow me. Of course I went to the same school as Ally Reynolds, who had made my life a living hell since I was 6. Of course Ally Reynolds was going out with Simon Turner, the boy I had fancied for years. And, of course I spilled coffee down my front the day ****Simon**** was supposed to come in for his bike parts. Typical. I took a bite out of the chocolate bar I got from the vending machine, wondering if this day could get any worse.**

**I looked up as the tall boy came up to me. He was incredibly handsome, and even more so up close. He also looked completely haughty, as if the idea of talking to anyone was beneath him. But when I met his gaze, he smiled and his whole face seemed to soften. **

"**Hi," He said, glancing down at the till as it made another loud bleeping noise. "I was wondering if you could help me?"**

"**Er-" I looked around the store, but George was nowhere to be found. He was probably off snogging the waitress next door. "I suppose. Hold on a minute." I ducked beneath my desk and unplugged the till. It went blank, and I sighed in relief. I smiled at the stranger. "I'm hopeless with technology. My dad says I should have been born in a time when people functioned without electricity."**

**The stranger looked amused, but didn't say anything. He was examining the till very closely, as if he's never seen one before. I supposed it was a particularly ancient one, and didn't really blame him for looking at it as if it was completely foreign to him. I cleared my throat, and he looked up. "My name is Amy. What can I do for you?"**

"**I was wondering if I could look at the motorbikes." He said excitedly, his eyes darting to the back of the store where three bikes stood in a row. **

"**Sure," I smiled and led him down. "Are you eighteen?"**

"**No, seventeen." His eyes darted to the big Harley Davidson. "How much is that one?"**

"**That's the most expensive one." I frowned at him. "If you're a beginner, I would recommend a smaller bike, they are much safer and easier to control. What about the CB125?" I gestured to the small motorcycle in the left corner. "They just increased the engine displacement from 122 to 124 cc." Or so I heard George tell someone yesterday.**

**He barely glanced at it before shaking his head. "No, I want that one."**

"**Right…" I led him to the register, ducking underneath the desk again to plug the till in. "Well, it will cost you about 6000 quid. Are you sure you don't want a look at another motorcycle? I know the other bikes don't look as cool, but you might be better off."**

"**I'm sure." He said certainly, his eyes still fixed on the bike.**

"**Right, well, you'll need to come in again with a parent or guardian to buy it, since you're underage. But you can fill out some of this paperwork now. Do you have a National Insurance card?"**

**He shook his head, looking bemused. "But I'm 17. I'm of age."**

"**Er- not in England you aren't." I laughed weakly. "It's no bother. Just come in here tomorrow with a guardian, since they'll need to sign a few things. You'll also need to take a few driving lessons before we can give you the bike. We offer some one-on-one lessons on weekends." I handed him the flyer, "And I'll need you to fill out these papers." I handed him a pen, and gestured toward the empty chair in the corner. He sat down just as Simon came in, and my heart started beating loudly. **

**Simon glanced at the boy only momentarily before advancing toward me. He grinned. "Hello, beautiful."**

**I blushed crimson. "Hey Si. How are you?"**

"**Oh, you know," He waved his arm dismissively. "Did you get the parts I ordered?"**

"**Yes!" I said excitedly. "Just wait here." I went to the back room, carried back two heavy boxes and set them down. "We got the new transmission, but we couldn't find the shocks you asked for, but these are much better, I think. Dad ordered them especially." I smiled at him, and he grinned. **

"**You're a star, Amy. A bleeding star. So how much will it be?"**

**I turned to the till and punched the numbers in. "It will be 700 quid with VAT."**

**He frowned at me. "Can you give me a discount? Don't you get a family rate or something? Come on, Amy, help me out." He winked at me, and I flushed. **

"**I don't know, Simon. I gave you money off for the tire last time, and almost lost my job."**

"**Your dad owns this place Amy," He rolled his eyes at me. "He won't sack you. Please, love. I need to start saving up money, and you know how much I care about you. I would do it for you." He smiled impishly. **

"**Well- I suppose." I looked around; making sure George or dad weren't around. "I can only knock down about 50 pounds though, otherwise I'll get told off."**

"**That's it?" He looked at me incredulously. "Come on, beautiful. You can do better than that."**

**I looked at him desperately. "Please, Simon. I can't. Dad was so angry at me last time."**

"**Fine." Simon said, looking putout. "Whatever." He pulled out his wallet and flung the bills at me before carrying the two boxes and leaving.**

**I stood there for a minute, staring as he walked to down the road. I wanted so badly to cry, wondering what I did wrong. I turned to go to the back and sulk, but then I remembered the boy in the corner. I jumped when I looked at him, realizing he was staring back at me. He got up and came toward me slowly, handing me the paperwork. "I filled out what I knew. Can I come back for the rest?"**

"**Of course," I said, my voice hoarse. I cleared my throat. "You can come back any time this week. We're open every day until 6pm, and 4pm on Sundays, Mr. Black." I said, looking at the papers.**

"**Call me Sirius." He smiled, before turning around and leaving.**

**I looked down at the paper again. Sirius Black. What an odd name.**


	2. Bigger Boys and Stolen Sweethearts

I was sure I had never seen him before. When George came in later, I asked him if he knew of a new family moving to the village, but he was useless. So I didn't give him much thought until later that week when he came in again. This time, he was followed in by a very pretty redhead and another young man, this one with insanely messy hair and crooked glasses. He was looking around the shop with obvious excitement, and when George came up to him, he grinned widely at him.

"Alright?" He proclaimed loudly. "I'm his guardian." He pointed at Sirius who looked at George expectantly. The redhead rolled her eyes but stayed quiet, eyeing the bike parts on display apprehensively.

George seemed properly confused. "That's nice. What can I do for you two?"

Sirius spoke up. "I'm buying a bike. I spoke to a girl about it a few days ago. Short, blonde, pretty, looks a bit ruffled."

I gaped incredulously at him behind the till, trying my hardest not to blush. I am most certainly not ruffled, I thought. Then I caught sight of my reflection on the tire frame next to me. While most of my hair was sitting on my shoulders, I had a tuft of hair on one side of my forehead that stood up in every direction. I had again spilled a drink down my front, this time a fizzy orange drink that I only got because the man at the newsagents told me it was the most popular drink in Scotland, and I wanted to try it. It tasted like cat piss, so the spillage wasn't a real loss.

George turned around and looked at me. "Greene?"

I looked down quickly, pretending to be busy with paperwork. But as the four of them came up to me, I had to meet George's eye. "Yes, George?" I thought I sounded quite calm, but my leg was twitching underneath the desk.

"Greene, this bloke said he spoke to you about a bike. Do you want to finish up his paperwork?" He looked at me suspiciously. I knew he always thought I was a bit useless with motorcycles and I had only gotten the job because of my dad. Still, I smiled at him and turned around to Sirius.

"Hello again." I squeaked. He looked about the same, his dark hair falling elegantly over one eye, his long nose held high.

"Hello Amy," He grinned at me, his grey eyes twinkling mischievously. "This is Lily Evans and James Potter. They're my guardians, both 18."

I looked at the boy in question. He was examining the till curiously, pushing random buttons. I swatted his hand away. The redhead was still looking around the shop, though with much less enthusiasm than the other two.

"Hello." I said to the boy, James. He looked at me and smiled crookedly. His hand was still on the till, as if he was waiting for me to get distracted before he started pushing random buttons.

"I don't know if he counts, Sirius." I said, looking James over. He looked even younger than Sirius, as if he had a growth spurt late into his teens. "Hold on, I'll have to call my dad and ask him."

I picked up the phone, and both boys regarded me avidly. I subconsciously started dialing the number. As I waited for dad to pick up, I looked at the redhead again. She was very pretty, with shoulder-length hair and bottle green eyes. She leaned against the boy with messy hair, and he put his arm around her without instinctively, as if it were natural.

I heard dad on the other end of the line.

"Hi dad," I said, studying at the file on my desk. "The man I spoke to you about on Friday came back. A Sirius Black? The minor, yes."

I gazed up at Sirius, who looked back at me expectantly.

"Well, he came in with two, er, guardians. But they're both only eighteen, and I wasn't sure what to do."

As I listened to my dad talk, I saw Simon and Ally park their car across the street. They came in just as I hung up. I held up my finger to them and turned to Sirius.

"Well, he says it will be alright, but I will need a copy of your IDs. I'll also need you two to fill in some papers, if that's all right. You'll be held responsible if something happens to the payments." I said to the couple, who nodded at me.

The redhead spoke up for the first time. "Is it entirely safe?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a grumpy codger, Evans. It'll be fine. James was thinking of getting one too, weren't you, Prongs?"

James shook his head quickly behind Lily's back, and when she turned to him, he stopped quickly. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled at her. "He's mental, Lil. Doesn't know what he's talking about."

"I should hope so." She said, eyeing his guilty face. She turned to me. "Do people get seriously injured on those things?"

"If they're not careful drivers." I said slowly. "If he has a helmet on, and makes sure he's attentive, Sirius should be alright. You're still taking lessons, aren't you?"

He nodded, "Can I show them the one I'm getting?"

"Of course," I said. "You can even hop on."

As they walked away, I saw a stick of wood jutting out of James' back pocket. I continued to stare at it, confused, until I felt Simon and Ally hovering at my table. I had forgotten they were there.

"Hello." I said nervously. I hadn't seen Simon since he left in a strop, and I was wondering if he was still angry with me. I avoided Ally's eye, but I knew she was staring at me petulantly.

"Hi Amy," He smiled at me, and I felt myself relax. "Sorry about the other day, I was just having a bad day and I'm afraid I took it out on you."

"It's alright." I said, my hands fidgeting. I could feel Amy's eyes staring at me, and I didn't dare look at her. "Do you need anything?"

"Actually, I wanted to speak to your dad." He said, looking around the shop. "Is he not in?"

"No, but he just got off the phone. I think he's on his way in."

"Oh brill," Simon grinned and leaned closer to me. I tried not to grimace, Ally was standing right there! "In the meanwhile, you can tell me about what's been going on with the shop. Any new stock in?"

Before I could answer, Sirius jogged to my desk and grinned down at me. "When can I ride it?"

I gaped at him, bemused. Ride what? My gaze wandered to Simon, who was glowering at Sirius. This confused me even more. Why was he irritated with him? I looked at Ally for the first time since she came in, but she wasn't glaring at me. She was also staring at Sirius, though she was decidedly not scowling. In fact, she looked ready to jump him.

I looked back to Sirius. "We have an opening for lessons tomorrow afternoon."

"Brilliant." He grinned at me. "Will you be teaching me?"

I laughed. "I don't think that would be such a good idea. You're better off with George."

Sirius frowned. "But I want you."

At this, Simon twitched, turning my attention to him. "Do you mind?" He sneered at Sirius. "We were having a conversation."

Sirius raised his eyebrows at him, and then regarded at Ally for the first time. She smiled flirtatiously.

"Right." Sirius said slowly. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, mate."

"Excuse me?" Simon gasped. I was starting to get nervous, but I didn't know what to do. "And who the fuck are you?"

"Someone who can go a lot of damage to you, mate, so mind your language." Sirius smirked. He didn't seem worried at all, even though Simon was older and burlier.

Simon turned his incredulous face to me. "Who is this?"

"Sirius Black." I squeaked, and then withered. Well, that sounded stupid.

"Hello Sirius Black," Ally grinned. "I'm Allison. I haven't seen you around."

Sirius didn't say anything to her. Actually, he looked as if he didn't really rate her. She must have noticed, because I saw her neck get considerably redder.

"I'm just going to be over there, Amy." Sirius said, his face haughty again. He was incredibly good looking, even while glaring. He must have known it too, if only because he would be blind to not realize. He was also completely, utterly and incandescently out of my league.

As Sirius walked away, Ally leered at me. "Is that your boyfriend then?"

"Don't be stupid, Al." Simon snapped as if it was the most senseless thing to think, and I suddenly felt angry. I didn't know where it came from, but as I surveyed him, I wondered why it seemed completely implausible that someone would fancy me.

"Why?" I said, glaring at him.

He frowned at me, confused. "What?"

"Why can't he be my boyfriend?"

Simon started to laugh, then stopped at the look on my face. "Amy, don't be ridiculous. He's not your boyfriend."

"And why not?" I barked.

"Because everyone knows you fancy m-" He stopped, and I gaped at him in horror. My eyes started to sting, and I had to blink back furious tears. He knew. He knew and he still let his girlfriend talk to me as if I was scum, even though I did everything to help him. I never said no, never. Then, it dawned on me that I shouldn't be surprised that he knew. I was the most obvious person in the world, wasn't I?

Ally snickered. "Plus, look at him. He'd never go for you."

I turned my furious expression toward her, and was disappointed when she didn't cower. Instead, she looked back at me, smiling tauntingly. "Well," I snarled, "I happen to know he thinks I'm pretty. So piss off."

"And how much did you take off his bike before he said that?" She cackled.

I couldn't say anything. I just stared at her as she snickered. I couldn't even look at Simon. I felt like I could never look at him again. But he was there, and he had to speak up.

"Wait in the car, Al." He said, turning to Ally.

She leered at him and stalked off. When the door shut with a bang, he looked at me.

"I'm sorry Amy." He said quickly. "I'm stupid, and Al doesn't know what she's talking about."

All I could do was look up at him. I didn't really know what to say. He was my Simon. The one I had fancied ever since I realized boys existed. He was my first kiss, when I was 12 and his friends dared him to kiss me. He was the first boy to ever notice me. I realized I had to say something as he ran a hand through his dark hair, surveying me.

"It's fine." I muttered, standing up. "Don't worry about it. I'm going to go see what Sirius wants."

At this, Simon's gaze turned to steel, but he just smiled. "I think you're beautiful."

I blushed. Simon reached out and grabbed my hand. "I mean it, Amy. You're wonderful."

I yanked my hand from his grasp, but I still returned his smile. At this, he seemed to relax. "I guess you should get back to work."

I nodded, he grinned at me. "Tell your dad I'll stop by on Monday, yeah?"

He turned away. I watched him as he walked across the street and get in his car, and I only looked away when he leaned over to kiss Ally.

I turned toward Sirius and his two friends. James was talking animatedly, and Lily was laughing. Sirius was laughing too, but his right hand was caressing the bike as if it was the most precious thing he'd ever seen. I smiled slightly, and walked toward them.

A/N:

I'm a tit, and didn't realize I set the last chapter to bold until after I submitted. I'm also lazy, and I didn't feel like changing it. Oops. Won't happen again.

Amy isn't really that pathetic. She's just a teenager in love, and all teenagers in love are stupid.

Reviews are very appreciated. I'll try to update again in a week's time. Ta for reading xxx


	3. Late Starts and Endless Chatter

BANG.

I jumped out of bed, looking around frantically. My heart beat hard against my ribcage. I wondered what that noise was, panicking or whether I had dreamt it. But as I calmed down, I looked around my room. Everything was completely normal, the house very quiet. Then it dawned on me. Why was the house so quiet? I whipped my head to my side table, and my eyes found my alarm clock.

Well, fuck me.

I was running late. Again. I clambered out of my cocoon of sheets, ran into the loo then I stumbled to the closet, my toothbrush in my mouth. I threw on the first pair of trousers I saw, and then looked around the floor frantically for a clean shirt. As I sniffed a black shirt that I was sure belonged to my dad, I tried to remember the last time I did laundry. I vaguely recalled squeezing my bed sheets into the machine two weeks ago, before realizing I was supposed to meet Kate at that time.

Fuck me twice.

I whipped the trousers off, and started sorting through my clothes frantically, looking for something that wasn't a Christmas jumper or putrid green. I grabbed the dress Aunt Muriel bought me for my birthday two years ago, and slipped it on. It was a tight fit, and I groaned when I caught my reflection in the mirror, my belly poking out. I promised myself to go on a diet as soon as possible, or at least to stop ingesting so many fizzy drinks. I put on a cardigan, slipped on my leather riding shoes and ran out the door. I caught the bus just as it was about to leave, and I had to knock on the door for the bus driver to open the door. He was a bit of an arse, because I was pretty sure he saw me bouldering to the bus stop, arms flailing.

As I took a seat next to an elderly woman, I tried to calm down. I was only ten minutes late. Sure, it will take me another ten to get there, but it'll be fine. No problem at all, I thought. I'll just give the person a discount. Like I had to do the last time I taught a lesson and I was late, I grimaced. My dad will kill me.

I clambered out of the bus, and started to speed walk to the shop. I only slowed down when I heard a high-pitched voice calling my name. I waved and grinned at the little boy who was running toward me, wearing a bright blue cloak. Chris was my favorite boy to babysit, though he was slightly eccentric.

"Hello Christopher." I smiled as he saddled up to me, matching my hurried pace.

"Hi Amy, what are you doing today?" He asked excitedly.

"I'm running late to a riding lesson." I said, turning the corner. I waved at the waiter in the café next to the shop.

"Can I come? I want to show you the new tricks I've been practicing, and Mum said that you won't be coming over soon because her and Dad aren't going out, but I asked her to please go, and she said I was being ungrateful which is stupid because I wasn't, then she said my sister Susan is going to start watching me instead of you because she needs to be more responsible now which is stupid because Susan is dumb. So I said that I would walk around and look for you because I know you'll like these tricks."

I nodded at him. "You can come, Chris. Just try to not get in the way, yeah?"

He grinned up at me. "You're cool, Amy. I wish you were my sister. My real sister isn't nice at all, she says that I'm an idiot, but I tell her that I'm not an idiot because I don't get told off by dad and she does all the time because she is always on the phone. All she does is talk about boys and shoes. Why do girls do that?"

I laughed, opening the door to the store and letting him in. "I'm not the person to ask. I think I have three pairs of shoes, and I haven't had a boyfriend in ages."

"Why would you want a boyfriend?" He grimaced. "Then you'll have to kiss them and have babies."

I went up to the desk, and smiled at dad apologetically.

"You're late." He said, but he was smiling back at me. Well, at least he was in a good mood. "That young man has been very patient."

"I know, I'm sorry. I slept in." I turned toward Sirius, who was walking toward me, his hands in his pockets. "Hello, sorry I'm late. I'm a tos-" I glanced down at Chris. "I mean, er, I'm an idiot."

"It's no trouble." He grinned, and my stomach did a funny flip. His eyes travelled to Chris, and his grin grew wider. "Hello."

"Hi. Are you learning to ride a bike?"

"Yes I am." Sirius beamed. "I'm Sirius."

"I didn't say you weren't." Chris rolled his eyes.

"No, Chris. That's his name." I said, "It's the brightest star in the sky."

"That sounds girly." Chris said.

"Yes, well." I didn't know what to say, so I turned to Sirius. "We're going to have to go to the parking lot to practice. It's usually empty."

"George should be done with a lesson soon, so you just use that bike." Dad said from behind me. "And we can take off some money, since Amy was late."

I grimaced, but didn't say anything.

"No, it's fine." Sirius said. "As long as I still get an hour."

I nodded, and we headed out the shop with Chris in tow.

"Chris is just going to tag along." I said to Sirius. "He wants to show me his magic tricks. He's going to be a magician."

"No, Amy!" Chris yelled. "I'm going to be an _illusionist_. It's different."

I rolled my eyes at Sirius, but he seemed genuinely interested. "What sort of magic?"

"I'll show you!" Chris grinned. He took a deck of cards, fumbling as he tried to keep up with our pace. "Amy, pick a card. Any card. And memorise it."

I picked a card from the middle of the deck, glanced at it and held it to my chest.

Chris nodded at me in approval. "Now, put it back in the deck. I will shuffle the cards." I watched him in amusement as he shuffled the deck sloppily. "And now, I will reveal that your card was… the king of spades!" He said, holding up the card.

"Nope."

Chris' face crumpled. "No?"

I looked at him in pity. "I'm sorry."

"Okay, wait. Hold on." He stopped in his tracks, and we did too. He turned his back towards us and started fidgeting with the cards. I looked at Sirius, who smirked but didn't say anything as Chris turned back.

"Okay, pick a card."

I made a show of trying to decide which card to take, then grabbed the very top one and showed it to Sirius. Then, I slipped it back in the deck and watched Chris shuffle.

"Was it… 5 of hearts!" Chris whipped the card out, and held it so close to my face that I had to back away, almost bumping into Sirius.

"I reckon you need more practice." I said sympathetically.

"But it worked yesterday!" He cried as we started walking again. He looked at Sirius. "Amy can do magic really well. Can't you, Amy?"

"Oh _really?_" Sirius said patronizingly, his gaze wide with amusement. I rolled my eyes at him, but didn't say anything.

"She can!" Chris nodded. "She can make coins disappear. Show him, Amy!"

"All right." I took a coin from my pocket, presented it to both of them, clapped my hands together and showed them my empty hands. Then, I turned to Sirius. "Do you wash behind your ears?"

"What?" He looked bewildered.

"Because I can see something poking out." I reached behind his ear and pulled out the coin. He let out a startlingly loud bark of a laugh, and I chuckled.

"See!" Chris looked up at Sirius. "She taught me how to do that one, but I forgot. Amy is brilliant. I wish she were my sister. My sister is mean to me, and she can't do cool tricks like Amy. Amy can turn into a pretzel, can't you?" He glanced at me.

"I'm double-jointed." I said in explanation.

"Yeah, I wish I was double-jointed. All I can do is this." He took his thumb and bent it all the way to the back of his palm. "Can you do any cool tricks, Sirius?"

"I can." He said. "But I'll have to show you another time."

"Okay, I'll just come to your next lesson too. Maybe." He added, peeking at my face.

"Maybe." I nodded as we turned to the parking lot. I waved at George and the girl he was teaching. "Hey, dad said I can use this bike for the next lesson." I nodded toward Sirius.

"Whatever." George said, helping the girl off her bike. He looked me over. "You're not really dressed for it, are you?"

I blushed. "Laundry day, you know."

"No, I don't." He cocked an eyebrow at me, handing me the keys. He walked away, huffing, and the girl trailed behind him.

"All right then," I turned to Sirius and smiled. "Hop on."

It didn't take long for him to get the hang of it. He was surprisingly adept at it, though he seemed to disregard the concept of brakes. After a half-hour tutorial, Chris and I stood at one corner of the parking lot and watched Sirius as he went in circles.

"We should go see Star Wars again." Chris said as he played with a plastic wand, whipping it so it turned into a plastic bouquet and back into a wand again. "You said we would."

"We can go on Monday after work." I said, "I'll ask your mum when I drop you off."

"You should come with us, Sirius!" Chris yelled out as Sirius came to a halt in front of us.

"Come where?" He asked, taking his helmet off.

"To see Star Wars! You'll like it because your name means star and the movie is called Star Wars."

"We're going to the cinema on Monday." I added in explanation, as he seemed confused.

Sirius frowned. "I don't know what that is."

"What, Star Wars?" I frowned. "What planet have you been living in?"

"No, a cinnonma."

"The cinema?" He nodded.

Chris and I gaped at him. "What planet _have _youbeen living in?"

Sirius looked indignant. "I didn't go to school around here."

"Where did you go to school, Africa? Jupiter?" Chris questioned, taking Sirius' ignorance personally.

"It's where they show films." I said, and then frowned at him. "You know what a film is, don't you?"

"Yeah, we watched one in Mug- I mean, in one of my lessons."

"Well, you're definitely coming to Star Wars then." Chris said. "What's a cinema… Honestly."

"Do you go there often?" Sirius asked.

"Amy and I do loads of stuff. We go to the cinema because that's where Kate works, that's Amy's friend, and she gets us into the films for free and sometimes gives me free sweets if no one is around. Amy used to play board games with me a lot. Hey, remember when we caught Susie kissing Simon that one time?" Chris grinned at me.

I nodded, looking at the ground. I felt Sirius' eyes on me.

"Simon from the shop?" He asked easily, but his voice sounded too casual to my sensitive ears.

"Yeah, he comes in the bike shop a lot." Chris answered, oblivious to my discomfort. "He used to go out with my sister, Susie. Amy came over because she didn't want to go to the school disco and my sister was going so Amy watched me. We played Battlefield all night but then we heard noise upstairs so we went in there and Simon was in Susie's room and he wasn't allowed up there so I told him. It was well funny, but then Amy said she felt ill and she was in the loo for _ages_ so we didn't play after that. Do you have a girlfriend?"

I looked up as Sirius shook his head. I was surprised, since he was extremely good-looking. But I supposed blokes that looked like that tended to have better things to do than settle down with one person.

Chris nodded. "Good. I don't want a girlfriend, _ever._ Girls are gross. No offense." He added, looking at me. When I didn't say anything, he went on. "Amy doesn't have a boyfriend. I don't think she should get one so we can do things together. She used to kiss a boy, his name is Richard. We never did anything when she went out with him because she was always with him. I didn't like him because of that, and he was really tall so it looked really funny when they kissed."

"Yes, thank you Christopher." I hissed, but he didn't get the hint.

"He was really tall though! Mum said you were prettier than him, but I told her that you always have food on your shirt so it doesn't matter if you have a nice face." He looked at my dress. "But you don't today. That's weird."

"And now that you talked Sirius' ear off, can we go home so I can spill something down my front?" I sounded bitter, but didn't really care. Trust Chris to lay me down bare to the only boy who has been nice to me in ages.

"Okay, are you coming to the cinema on Monday, Sirius?" Chris trampled next to us as I dragged the bike down to the shop.

"Sure." Sirius nodded, and I felt his eyes on me again. I hadn't really looked up since Chris started talking about my pathetic love life, and I wasn't planning on meeting his gaze any time soon. We walked toward the shop in silence, Christopher surprisingly quiet between us. As we reached the door, I finally looked up at Sirius, and was startled to see his face so close to mine. He smiled, and I returned it reluctantly.

"So when can I ride a bike again?" He asked.

"Well, you're doing very well, and I don't see the need for many more lessons. But we can get you practicing on the bike you're getting next weekend, if that's okay."

"Can we do it sooner?" He frowned. "After the film?"

"I suppose." I said slowly. "We'll have to find somewhere else to practice though, since the parking lot gets used on week days."

"I'll find somewhere." He said quickly, and turned to Chris. "And I'll show you my magic tricks."

Chris beamed. "You'll have time to practice. Are you as good as Amy?" He asked.

"Nowhere close, but I'll try my best." He grinned at me, his eyes twinkling. My heart flipped for the second time that day, and I tried my hardest not to blush as he walked away. I opened the door and followed Chris into the shop.

A/N:

I wrote this when I was supposed to paying attention to my International Economics class. Therefore, I think I deserve reviews since I will surely fail the quiz next Thursday.

No pressure.

Christopher is based on my boyfriend's little brother (whose name is Harry, coincidentally). He's a little bugger, but everyone who isn't me finds him cute, despite the running commentary on LIFE and insane memory for anything that embarrasses me.


	4. Strange and Magical

A/N: The way I thought of this chapter was pretty simple. I remembered someone in the books saying that muggles don't notice magic because they ignore what's right in front of them, so anything that would be out of the ordinary just seems like a big coincidence, or just a weird happenstance. So yeah… Allons-y!

"Wow." Chris gawked, and I nodded.

"Wow." I agreed. We were standing in front of the Potter House, if you could even call it a house as it seemed like an understatement. It was one of the biggest houses in town, situated at the end of a quiet road. It took a while to find, since no one in town seemed to realize that anyone resided in the 'big house at the end of Abbey Grove'. The front garden was perfectly manicured, apart from the bushes next to the front gate. They had some of the oddest-looking flowers I had ever seen, and I had to yank Chris' hand away when he went to touch one that looked especially menacing. It felt as if all the flowers were watching us, but I knew that was entirely impossible. Still, I reckoned there was some sort of surveillance around the gate.

We made our way to the front door, and paused. I looked down at Chris, and he was staring back at me. I don't know why, but I was extremely nervous. They didn't seem to have a doorbell, so I knocked twice, and waited. It was very silent, and I was about to turn and leave when we heard a sound.

"Ouch!"

We listened to the sounds of grumbling and muffled conversation, then the door opened tentatively. The bespectacled boy looked us over from the small crack, and then opened the door wider.

"You're the bird from the motorbike shop." He said as a greeting.

"Hello." I replied nervously. "Is Sirius here?"

"I think so. He might be in his room," he frowned, "Why?"

"We're picking him up." I cocked an eyebrow at him. "We're going to see a film."

"Oh yes! He mentioned something about that. Come in." He stood aside and we walked in. The house looked even bigger inside, and it was decorated lavishly. James led us into the front room, and Chris and I sat side by side on the big settee.

I looked around the room curiously. It was one of the most beautifully decorated places I have ever been to. The walls were a deep burgundy and lined with ancient books, and there were strange contraptions in the corner that looked as if they were from the 18th century.

"You have a stick in your back pocket." Chris said suddenly, and I looked over at James.

"You had it in there when you were at the shop too." I said. "Did you not notice it?"

"Oh!" James exclaimed loudly, whipping the wooden stick out of his pocket and regarding it with exaggerated surprise. "Silly me." He placed the stick on the bookshelf and smiled at us uncomfortably.

"Aren't you going to bin it?" I asked apprehensively.

"I will, later." He nodded, making no moves to remove it from its place on the bookshelf.

"Is it a pet stick?" Chris asked.

"What?"

"You know, like a pet rock. I had a pet rock once, his name was Superrock, but I got bored with it after we got a cat. Maybe it's like a pet rock, but a stick."

"Er-no." James shuffled awkwardly. "It's just a normal stick, nothing special."

Chris and I nodded, and we sat in painful silence until Chris noticed a broom at the corner.

"What's that?" He asked, moving toward it.

"Christopher." I said warningly. "It's just a broom. You know, for sweeping. Sit down."

"But it doesn't look like a regular broomstick. Look, Amy! It has a seat." He said, but before he could touch it, James grabbed it possessively.

"She's right, it's just a broom." He said quickly. Chris opened his mouth but shut it quickly when I glowered at him.

"James," A voice from behind us said. "Is your Lily going to floo in today or is she app-" We turned around and looked at the man, who stopped talking at the sight of us. He had the same messy hair as James, though his nose was wider. "Hello." He smiled uneasily.

"What's a floo?" Chris probed, turning toward James.

"I think he said flew, Chris." I said. "As in on a plane."

"Right," James spoke confidently. "He was asking if she was going to fly in or take the train."

"Where is she?" I asked curiously.

"Where's who?"

"Er- Lily."

"Oh," James smiled pleasantly. "Surrey."

I regarded him suspiciously. "She's flying in from Surrey? It's 4 hours away."

Chris snickered, but before he could say anything, James turned to his father. "Dad, can you see if Sirius is in his room, please?"

James' dad, who was still standing next to the door, took his gaze off us and exclaimed. "Of course! I'll go get him."

We heard him lumbering up the stairs, and a quick muffled conversation. I felt James' eyes on me and turned toward him. To my surprise, he was smiling.

"I think you're good for him." He said, regarding me. "You're not very affected, are you? I think it's good." I didn't say anything and shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, I think you're weird." Chris said, shaking his head. "All of you. Nutters."

James grinned as Sirius walked in. "Alright, mate."

"Yeah," Sirius glanced at him momentarily, and then grinned at me. "Hello."

"Hi," I smiled warmly. It was very difficult to dislike him, and he was surprisingly intoxicating. I didn't realize how much I had missed seeing him yesterday until I saw him again.

"Ready to go?" Chris stood up, and grabbed Sirius arm. "Come on, I need to tell you about the film so you don't get lost."

I followed them outside, and mumbled a goodbye to James who watched us leave with a big grin on his face.

We made our way to town slowly, Chris telling Sirius everything he could remember about Star Wars as Sirius asked the occasional question. I listened quietly, focusing on getting to the cinema as quickly as possible. I felt slightly tongue-tied, especially when Sirius' arm brushed against mine whenever we turned a corner. Goosebumps broke out at every contact, and I hoped that he didn't notice.

"That's enough, Chris." I finally said as we reached the cinema. I opened the door and let them both in before following. It was predictably empty, as it was only noon on a Monday. We headed toward the ticket booth where Kate was lounging, looking through her hair for split ends. She stopped when she saw us and grinned.

"You're here! Good. I need your opinion." She pulled out two shirts from her bag. "Which one should I wear on Friday?"

"The red one." I said. She frowned at the two shirts, and then turned to me.

"Sure?" She asked.

I shrugged, and gestured to Sirius. "Kate, this is Sirius. He's never been to a cinema before."

He rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless. Kate, however, didn't seem very interested in him. She was still staring at the two shirts in front of her. Finally, she shook her head and looked at me.

"What were you saying?"

I laughed. "I was introducing you to Sirius."

She glanced at him, and then did an obvious double take. I inwardly cringed at her lack of tact, and watched her eyes glimmer.

She beamed. "Hi, I'm Kate."

"Hello." He smiled back, and then looked at me amusedly.

"You're very good-looking." She said, propping her head on her arm.

"Er- thanks." Sirius reddened.

"Would you mind bending over for a minute? Or I can, if you ask nicely."

"_Kate!"_

"What?" She grinned at me. "He's gorg, so much better looking than Richard. He was minging."

"I _told_ you." Chris quipped to Sirius. "Richard was an ugly toff."

"Three tickets to Star Wars, please." I said quickly, thinking that this is why I don't believe in God. If he existed, he would have sent a lightning bolt to finish me off at that moment.

Kate smirked, and handed me the tickets. "It doesn't start for twenty minutes. Do you want me to open up concessions so you can sit down?"

"Please." I said, pretending to study the ticket stubs. In all honesty, I was trying my hardest to blend in with the carpet below me.

We headed toward an empty table and sat down. A few minutes later, Kate brought over four fizzy drinks and a big bucket of popcorn.

"So where do you go to school?" Kate asked, sitting down next to me.

"It's not around here." Sirius replied simply.

"Is it a boarding school?" I asked.

"What's that?" He frowned.

"Er- do you live in school during term?" I wondered if he was a bit dim.

"Oh! Yes, I do." He nodded. "Well, did. I finished a month ago."

"What's the school called?" asked Kate, leaning toward him. I glared at her.

"Er- Hogwarts."

We sat in silence for a moment, and then burst out laughing.

He looked bewildered. "What? Have you heard of it?"

I snorted. "No. But why would anyone call their school that? It's like calling it Cow Boils."

"Or Goat Ulcers." Chris snickered.

"It sounds made up." Kate agreed. "Where is it?"

"I think it's somewhere in the Highlands." He said.

"You _think?"_ Chris raised his eyebrows. "Wouldn't you know?"

"Well, no. We get on a train and it takes us straight there."

"How do you get mail?" I enquired interestedly. "How does it get addressed?"

He shrugged, stuffing his mouth with popcorn. "Don't know, it just gets there."

"Like magic." Kate snorted.

"Oh! You said you knew magic. Can you show me the tricks?" Chris asked excitedly.

"Sure." Sirius grinned, then downed his drink. He placed the plastic cup on the table, and put his hand in his pocket. I watched him fidget with something in his pocket, then looked away quickly, blushing. Kate giggled at my reaction.

I heard Sirius mumble something that sounded like Latin, and the cup started to float. We all gaped as it went up to the ceiling. Chris touched the air beneath it, and turned to Sirius in awe.

"That's _incredible. _How do you do that? What else can you do?" He looked up at the cup. Sirius twitched and the cup fell down to the table again.

"I can make it bigger?" He laughed as Chris shook with excitement.

Again, Sirius mumbled something, and the cup started to double in size. We all stared at it. As soon it was a normal size again, I looked at him.

"Sirius, that was amazing." I said breathlessly. "How do you do that?"

He grinned at me smugly. "With magic."

Chris rolled his eyes. "Magic isn't real, it's all illusions."

"Well, I'm special then." He smirked.

I laughed. "Yes, call him Merlin."

He turned to me in surprise. "You know who Merlin is?"

"Not personally." I stated sarcastically. "Everyone knows who Merlin is, he helped King Arthur."

"Who?" Sirius pulled a face.

"The Legend of King Arthur?" Chris asked. "He was supposed to be a king."

"Merlin was his wizard, and he was married to Guinevere, then she left him for Lancelot, who was one of his knights." I added.

"Sounds a bit of a ponce." Sirius said, ruffling his hair.

I tittered, hoping Chris wouldn't repeat that word to his mother. I felt Sirius watching me before turning to Kate, who was looking at us ans smiling secretly. She peered at Chris. "Want sweets?"

"Do I ever _not _want sweets?" He rolled his eyes and followed her to the concession stand. I watched him affectionately, and then turned to Sirius who was looking at me again.

"You're very fond of him, aren't you?" He asked.

I chuckled. "Of course. He's wonderful, though he is a bit strange."

Sirius grinned. "A bit?"

"All right, he's very strange. But he's very sweet most of the time. He is like the little brother I never had, and you should love your brothers unconditionally, no matter how odd they are."

Sirius smiled, but he seemed slightly sad to me, his eyes fathomless. I stared back at him, and I felt the urge to look away, but it seemed impossible. Then, he moved so swiftly that I didn't get the chance to react. He kissed me quickly, his mouth brushing against mine. He tasted salty from the popcorn, but before I could do anything, he moved away.

A/N: Thoughts?

Not long to go now. I imagine this fic will have about 2-5 chapters, plus an epilogue that I've already written.

I'll try to update soon, but I'm in my final year in uni and exams are in two weeks time, so any free time I have will probably be spent on trying to study.


	5. Conversations and Startling Situations

A/N: I haven't had time to edit it, so I apologise for any awkward grammar mistakes. Onward!

"That was the oddest thing I have ever seen in my entire life."

Chris gaped. "You didn't like it?"

We were standing outside the cinema, waiting for Chris' sister to pick him up. I felt slightly ashamed that I fell asleep during the film, but it's not as if I haven't seen it before. Still, it was better than staring at Sirius. He had acted as if nothing had happened before the film, and it was making me slightly uncomfortable. Though I realized that I would rather him pretend he hadn't kissed me than make things awkward. I looked down at Chris, and patted down a strand of hair that was poking at a funny angle. He swatted me away and shot me a half-hearted glare before addressing Sirius again.

"If you didn't like it, we can't be friends anymore."

Sirius let out a bark laugh. "It was amazing, but it was insane. I think I'll have to take James with Evans to see it, he'll love it. And I wouldn't mind one of those light saber things. Are they real?"

I snorted. "No, you dolt. And there aren't aliens floating around in the Death Star either, it's a film."

"Amy wishes it was real, don't you?" Chris giggled. "She fancies Han Solo."

I rolled my eyes, and Sirius grinned. "Which one is he, the big hairy fella that doesn't speak English?"

Chris chortled, but stopped immediately, grimacing at the sight of someone across the road. I looked up at Susie as she approached. She really was the most striking girl I have ever seen, with long brown hair and light green eyes. It was amazing how much she looked like Chris, though his hair was definitely not as soft looking as hers, and his legs weren't nearly as long. She was wearing a long colorful skirt that made her legs look even longer, and I felt chunkier just regarding her. She waved as she spotted us and started toward us, ignoring the old man gawking at her as she passed him.

"Alright, Amy?" She smiled at me. I'm not really sure why, but she had always been very nice to me. "Thanks for relieving me of this bugger for the afternoon."

Ignoring Chris' indignant splutter, I replied. "Oh, it's no problem, I love having him."

"What's disconcerting is that I believe you." She frowned, glancing at Sirius. She nodded at him briefly, and it was my turn to gape at her. It was as if she hadn't noticed how fit he was, though I supposed a girl like her could get any bloke she wanted.

"Are you the guy Simon's been going on about?" She asked, ruffling the back of her hair distractedly. Sirius looked back at her haughtily, but didn't say anything.

"_What?"_ I choked.

Susie grinned at me. "You'll love this, Amy. I think he's jealous, thinks you don't fancy him anymore."

"I don't fancy him." I said quickly, and everyone rolled their eyes.

"Of course not." She smiled. "Well, don't worry yourself with him. Honestly, I don't understand your fascination with him, he's not even that good of a kisser."

"That is disgusting." Chris glared at her.

"So's your face, so shut up." She said to him, and grabbed his arm. "Come on then, I don't have all day. Bye Amy, bye chap."

I watched as she and Chris walked toward the high street, bickering loudly. I turned to Sirius and grinned. "Bike?"

He nodded and grinned back impishly. "Bike."

* * *

Watching Sirius ride the bike behind a warehouse was much less interesting without Chris' company. Still, it allowed me to think about what Susie said. I wanted to be happy that Simon was jealous of another bloke and me, but I found myself doubting it was because he fancied me too. In all seriousness, I knew that Simon only ever used me to get his way, and he seemed to date every other girl before even considering me. He even flirted with Kate on that one pub night when I had dressed up to impress him. Never me, though. He was always nice to me, and he had always complimented me when he thought I was going off him, but he had never even offered me a snog, which he tended to do to every girl when he was pissed. I wondered what was wrong with me as I watched Sirius turn the bike jerkily.

"Not so fast!" I yelled out, "Don't turn that quickly, it will ruin the tyres."

I watched his helmet bob in a nod, and he turned again, this time much more smoothly. I smiled as he stopped in front of me.

"That was very good, Sirius. I think you're ready to take your exam soon."

"There's an exam?" He sighed wearily. "Can't I just start riding it?"

"If only things were that simple." I shook my head. "We can get that sorted tomorrow. We need to head back, though."

We made our way back to the bike store and I put the motorbike in the back of the shop. I headed toward the front of the store and watched Sirius survey the calendars we sold of scantily clad girls on different motor vehicles.

"Would you like one?" I cocked an eyebrow at him.

He shook his head. "Bit boring, aren't they? Not moving." He turned to me, and I looked at him perplexedly. He smiled before I could ask what he was on about. "I was going to tell you, I like your shirt."

I looked down at my red shirt, with a blown out picture of a dragon. I grinned up at him. "Thanks, I found it at the charity shop the other day. God knows why anyone would want to throw out something as funky as this."

He raised his eyebrows. "You're wearing something that someone else threw away?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well, not all of us can afford expensive clothes, posh boy."

"Why do you think I'm posh?" He laughed, running his hands through his hair. I stared at him, slightly mesmerized before realizing what I was doing.

"You look posh," I stuttered, flushing. "And you live in a _mansion_, and you go to a boarding school that's so superior I haven't even _heard_ of it. I bet you were made to take piano lessons and learn French when you were growing up."

He flushed slightly. "Violin."

I giggled nervously, and we lapsed into an awkward silence. I don't know why, but despite the discomfort, I didn't want him to leave. Before I could think of what I was saying, I asked. "Are you hungry?"

He shrugged, ignoring the suddenness of the question. "I always am, growing boy and that."

"We should get food then. We can just go to the café next door." I added quickly, not wanting to seem too eager at the prospect of eating dinner with him.

"Sounds fine to me." He said.

* * *

"So, you're done with school?" I asked, sipping my soup. We were sat outside, as the weather was fairly pleasant. I glanced at a couple passing by with a small dog that looked more like a rat than anything else.

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, finished a few weeks ago."

"Do you know what you're going to do now?" I asked, watching him as he bit into his burger.

He nodded, and then seemed to hesitate. I waited for him to speak, and sensing that I wasn't going to say anything, he sighed. "Well, I'm going to be… fighting."

"Fighting what?" I frowned.

"Dark forces, bad people." He said nonchalantly.

"What, you'll be a police man?" I asked.

"Not exactly." He hesitated again. "It's like please-men, but bigger."

I ignored his mispronunciation of police, waving it off as some sort of local dialect. "What, the army?"

He nodded, and I blanched.

"You can't join the army." I screamed, and then realized I was in public and closed my mouth quickly.

"Why not?" He asked cockily.

"You're too pretty." The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop myself, and I stared at him in horror.

"Well, thank you." Sirius said sardonically. "If someone tries to attack me, I'll ask them to aim below the neck."

"That's not what I meant," I said hurriedly. "I mean, why are you joining the army?"

He shrugged. "I can't just sit around and do nothing when there's bad people out there, Amy. James and Lily are joining too."

I gaped at him in terror. "But, can't you lot just write scathing letters to your local council like normal people?"

He laughed bitterly. "That does naff all, you know."

I nodded hazily, trying to imagine Sirius in army gear. It didn't really help my nerves, as he seemed more like a kiss-o-gram than a soldier in my head. I blushed at the idea.

"Well, at least there aren't any wars going on." I added, calming down slightly. "It's not like you'll be off fighting tomorrow, will you?"

He smiled at me sadly, not answering my question.

"What will you do then?" He asked, picking up his juice and downing it in one.

"University. I got into Oxford," I couldn't help but add proudly. It was what I had worked my whole life for, and for it to finally happen seemed surreal to me.

"That's great," He smiled genuinely, and my grinned widened.

"I know, I couldn't believe it," I leaned in excitedly. "I'll be studying Politics. Don't know what I will do with it afterward, but it's still so exhilarating, isn't it? My mum went to Oxford, too, so that's even more thrilling."

"You'll be brilliant." He nodded, "Is your mum happy?"

I shrugged, my elation fading slightly. "Don't know, I don't speak to her much. I mean, I called her up when I found out, and she seemed glad." I added hastily.

"Where does she live?" He asked.

"Somewhere in Wales with her husband," I said, "She moved there when I was five, I think. Her husband is nice enough, though I don't see them very often."

He nodded, "Do they have any children?"

I shook my head, "No, I don't think they're planning on having any either. I'm destined to be an only child," I sighed dramatically. "What about you? Do you have any siblings?"

I saw him tense, and I wondered if I had said something wrong, but when he answered, his voice was steady, "I have a brother, he's a couple of years younger than I am."

I don't know why, but I pictured Sirius as an only child too. He didn't seem the type to come from a big family. "Do you get on?" I asked.

"Not particularly," He smiled tightly. "He's a stupid little shite."

"Oh," my eyes widened, and I didn't know what to say. I started to think quickly, "What about James?" I asked

"What about him?" Sirius asked, slightly grinning.

"He's like your brother, isn't he? I mean, you live with him, don't you?"

"He's my best mate," Sirius agreed. "So I suppose. I'm like the second son the Potters never asked for." His bark-like laugh made me relax again, and I grinned back at him.

Sirius told me stories about how James, and how he had chased Lily for years before she agreed to go out with him. I found this surprising, as they seemed so perfect together. I told him about all the boys Kate has tried to set me up with, including a bloke that asked to see my feet five minutes into our date. At this, Sirius ducked beneath the table and grabbed my foot. I would have toppled over if I didn't have enough sense to grip the table. I laughed as he brought my foot to his face and I kicked him. He recoiled and looked at me huffily, which made me laugh even more.

As my giggles subsided, he asked. "Do you have any pets?"

I nodded, "I have a parrot, though he doesn't talk much. Just sits there and stares at me. I guess he thinks I talk enough for the both of us," He laughed. "What about you?"

He nodded. "I have a dog."

I gasped. "I _love_ dogs. I've wanted a puppy since I was seven, but my dad is vehemently against it. He thinks I'd kill it. What your dog's name?"

"Padfoot," He said, "I suppose you could say he's the canine version of me."

I laughed, "Does he grab innocent women's feet too?"

"I think he's more likely to try and hump them." He chuckled.

"Well, thank heavens you have more restraint." I countered, glancing at my watch. "It's getting late, I suppose we should head back." I tried not to sound put out, but when I looked up at him, I was glad to see that he looked slightly disappointed too. I dropped a few bills on our table and we headed toward the bike shop.

I turned toward him, and smiled. "Today was fun."

"It was." He nodded. "I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Of course," I said, and watched him walk away. I felt disappointed that he hadn't tried to kiss me again, and I wondered if I had imagined the whole thing in the cinema. Suddenly, I sensed something bubble inside me. It felt very much like determination, or stupidity. Before I could think of what I was doing, I ran toward Sirius, and grabbed his arm, making him turn toward me.

"Hey-" Before he could finish what he was about to say, I grabbed his shoulder, pulled him toward me, and kissed him. I kept my eyes tightly shut, moving toward him. I sneaked my arm around his neck, and I felt his hands on my waist, pulling me closer. I felt more confident as he reciprocated, and I ran my hand through his hair and deepened the kiss. After what felt like hours, he pulled away and looked at me, his eyes as wide as saucers. I felt myself blush again, and I moved out of his grip quickly. I couldn't look at his blank face, but when I looked behind him, I froze.

There stood Simon, looking at Sirius and me so angrily that I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

"Amy-" Sirius started, not realizing that Simon was behind him. His tone sounded as if he was about to reprimand me, and it occurred to me that he might not have wanted to kiss me at all, that I had imagined the thing at the cinema, and that he only responded to me lunging at him in order to save me any embarrassment. I looked away from Simon, and met Sirius' eyes.

"I'm sorry." I stuttered, "I'm so sorry." I turned quickly and ran. I didn't stop as I heard him call out my name, and only stopped when I got home.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Exams and all.

Next chapter will include flying motorcycles and shell-shocked muggles, once I get around to writing it.

Also, I started writing another fanfic, though I won't post it up until I'm finished with this one. It's a James/Lily one, though not a typical one. I'm sure you can tell by now that I like to think of odd scenarios to place the cannon characters in, so it will be slightly different.


	6. Lost Goodbyes and Flying Motorcycles

I hadn't seen Sirius since the incident a few days ago. I had started checking his file at work every day, and he hadn't made a payment for his bike, nor had he come for more lessons. My stomach dropped every time I glanced at the paper, wondering if I had fucked it all up. I had hoped he would stop by, and I would have happily pretended like nothing had happened if he wanted me to. On Friday, I had dressed meticulously well, hoping that if I project to the Universe that I would like something to happen, please, then It might listen to me for once. However, when someone did stop by my desk that day, it wasn't whom I had hoped to see.

"I need to talk to you."

I looked up from the accounting sheet I was double-checking and resisted the urge to glare at Simon.

"If you're looking for my dad, he's not going to be in today." I said, my voice shaking slightly. I took a deep breath to steady it before looking down at my sheet, though it became much harder to concentrate on any of the numbers.

"No, I talked to him on Monday. You know, before I saw you _throw_ yourself at that bloke." Simon leered viciously, and I flinched.

"What does it matter to you?" I snapped, then closed my mouth quickly, surprised at my moxie.

"Because I care about you," Simon sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "He's not good enough for you."

I blinked up at him. There are many reasons why I fancied Simon, reasons that I had discussed very thoroughly with Kate on many occasions. He was very good-looking, if not a bit vapid; he was very funny when he tried; he got on very well with my dad, and he was the first boy to ever catch my eye. I had imagined us together many times, I doodled our names together in the margins of my History notes, I had even joined Music Choir in school because he was in it, though I couldn't hold a tune to save my life. But at that moment, all I could think about was the amount of times I cried because of him, or how I tried for years and years to get his attention, and when I finally did, it was in the most platonic way possible. He was a good person, I knew he was, I had _seen_ him be a very friendly and attentive to others, but he wasn't to me, and he wasn't _for_ me. It had taken me years to realize that, but now that I had, it felt as if it was the most obvious thing under the sun, and that I had wasted years worrying what he had thought of me, when I shouldn't have been worrying what any bloke thought of me.

"Who's good enough for me then, Simon?" I asked, letting out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Because you've made it very apparent that it isn't you."

"Is this what that whole thing is about? Were you trying to make me jealous?" To my irritation, he looked relieved, as if that is the only logical explanation for me and another man.

"No." I said, "For the first time, something I have done had nothing to do with you, Simon."

He paused for a moment, and then spoke again, taking a different tactic. "He doesn't like you." He sneered. "He's just using you."

I opened my mouth to call him a hypocrite, but realized it was pointless. Instead, I fixed him with a steady gaze. "Okay. Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to work." I looked down at my desk again, though I could see his hands forming fists.

"Is that it?" He yelled at me. "Is that all you have to say for yourself, Amy?"

I rubbed my eyes, feeling a headache coming on. "No, that's the only thing I have to say to you at the moment, Simon."

He let out a number of expletives that caused George to glare at me across the show room, but to my relief, Simon seemed to realize that the conversation was futile. I watched him walk out of the store huffily, and didn't pick up the phone to call Kate until Simon crossed the road.

I shuffled the papers about as the phone rang, and took out Sirius' file to check it. It was then that I let out a gasp. He had stopped by. He had picked up the bike. He had paid the lump sum in cash. I stared at the paper for what seemed like hours, and I only snapped out of my trance when Kate hollered down the phone loudly.

"Hey Kate. Listen, can I call you back in a minute? I need to talk to my dad." I said quickly, and then hung up before she could answer. I dialed our home number shakily.

"Greene residence." My dad said breezily above the sound of a running tap.

"Hi dad, it's me. When did Sirius Black pick up the Harley Davidson?" I asked.

"The young man?" If he had sensed the panic in my voice, he didn't mention it. "Yesterday, darling, right after you left for the bank."

"Did he take his driving test?" I asked, frowning at the file. "There isn't a copy of it in here."

"Oh yes, he had shown it to me, I think. I vaguely remember him handing me a piece of paper…" My dad trailed off. "I must have forgotten to make a copy of it."

I let out a breath and ended the call. This could be my excuse, I realized. I could go over to the Potter's house and say we're missing paperwork. Shaking my head to clear it, I picked up the phone and called Kate again.

After a very long and detailed conversation, Kate and I decided that I should stop by the Potter's and ask for Sirius, though I should pretend to be extremely busy, as if that was only one of the many stops I had to make on my very hectic schedule. After I asked George to cover the desk, I rushed to the bathroom and looked for myself, _really _looked at myself for the first time in months. My blonde hair was slightly frizzy from the humidity, my brown eyes looked tired, and there was a trail of small pimples on my chin. I washed my face quickly, pinching my cheeks in hope of forcing some color onto them. I brushed my hair with my fingers, and I tried to wipe the inkblot on the collar of my shirt, though it was useless. It was moments like these that I wished I had super powers. It would be so convenient to have the power to just instantly make myself better. I sighed at my reflection, understanding this is the best I've got for the moment, and I exited the shop, making my way to the Potter's.

I knocked on the door and glanced at the window. All the curtains were drawn despite it being such a bright day. The front garden was just as bizarre as it had been the last time I was here, with odd-looking plants growing from every direction. There was also a small statue I hadn't noticed before, in the shape of a small ball with wings. I looked away from it as the door opened, revealing a short elderly woman with bright hazel eyes.

"Hello." I smiled. "I was wondering if Sirius Black is in?"

"Hello dear," she replied, opening the door wider. "I'm afraid Sirius moved away a few days ago, but James is in if you want to come inside."

I stared at her in slight shock. "Where did he move?" I asked, glancing behind her as if I would spot him hiding behind the settee.

"Oh, he got his own flat in London. His uncle left him with a bit of money. Are you sure you don't want me to call James?" She frowned at my flustered expression.

"Oh yes, it's fine." I snapped my gaping mouth shut. "I just needed a bit of paperwork from him, but it's fine, it's not a problem." I blubbered and looked down at my shoes.

"Well, alright." The woman hesitated. "He should be stopping by for Sunday lunch this weekend, shall I tell him you asked for him?"

"Yes, please." I said, already backing away. "That would be great. Thank you."

"What's your name, dear?" She called after me, but I didn't answer. I kept walking until I reached Kate's home, and I sat on her doorstep until the sun had set.

* * *

I stared down at my small telly in confusion. I was packing to leave for Oxford, though I had regrettably left the telly for the last minute. There were so many wires poking out in every direction that I was sure disassembling a bomb would have been easier than unplugging this device. I sighed dramatically, deciding to take a break. I flopped onto my bed unceremoniously, my feet dangling on the edge and closed my eyes. Tomorrow I would be unpacking everything in a too-small dormitory with a roommate I probably wouldn't get on very well with, knowing my luck. I would probably break my favorite mug while unpacking, or would get lost on the way to the university. I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to ward off the sleep that was setting down on me, though I kept my eyes closed. My thoughts wandered as I dozed off, and suddenly, I felt a hand shaking me. I sat up quickly, and yelped at the sight of Sirius grinning down at me. I blinked up at him, still slightly hazy from my sleep. What was he doing in my room? And why was it so dark outside? I glanced at my alarm and saw that it was almost midnight. I looked up at Sirius again and frowned. The time still didn't explain why he was here in my room. In fact, it confused me even more. I hadn't seen him for over a month, not since the day at the cinema. Before I could ask him anything, Sirius spoke up.

"Come on," He said, grabbing my arm and pulling me off my bed. "I want to show you what I've been working on."

I followed him downstairs past my dad's door, which was shut. How had Sirius come in? I wondered, though I was too muddled to ask. He closed the front door behind us and led me to his motorbike.

"There it is!" He gestured to it with a flourish.

"I've seen your bike before, Sirius." I finally spoke, frowning at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Showing you what I've done to it." He grinned down at me. "Come on, hop on. We don't have much time."

Every reasonable part of my brain was telling me to just turn around and walk away as I stared at his mischievous face. He had completely disappeared without a goodbye, and now he was at my house, asking me to get on a motorbike. How did he even know where I lived? Did he break into my house? If so, how did my dad not hear him when he was the lightest sleeper in existence? I don't know if it was because of my groggy state, or whether it was just plain curiosity, but I did what he had asked and swung one leg over the bike before I could talk myself out of it. He smirked down at me before getting on in front of me. I grabbed him around the waist as the engine spluttered to life, and tightened my grip as he revved it up. It was then that I was sure I was still sleeping. Instead of moving forward, the motorbike had moved _upward_. I gasped as we hovered above the ground, and gaped wide-eyed as we rose higher, not quite believing what was happening. Suddenly, he pressed on the pedal and we zoomed forward, and I buried my face in his shirt. This _wasn't_ happening. Despite the wind in my hair, and the very real musky smell of his shirt, this was definitely _not_ happening. I kept my death grip on him as he flew, no, _drove_ through the town, and I only opened my eyes as we reached a stop at what looked like the Potter's back garden. It was a wide, open space that was fenced in by giant shrubs.

I got off the bike shakily, looking around me. I turned my terrified gaze toward Sirius, who was grinning so widely I was surprised his face hadn't split open.

"I just finished with it today." He proclaimed proudly. "Flew straight over. Isn't it bloody amazing?"

"I-" I ogled at him. "I don't under- how did you- _How_?"

"Magic." He grinned down at me.

"Don't be stupid." I snapped at him, turning my gaze to the bike. "Magic isn't… It isn't real. It's all illusions."

"No, Amy." Sirius shook his head, as if explaining something to a particularly thick child. "It's real. I'm a wizard. I went to wizarding school, learned magic and all that."

I shook my head back at him. "No you didn't. You're teasing me. This is some sort of joke, isn't it? Well if it is, it's _not_ funny!" I yelled at him, my stomach clenching uncomfortably.

"It's real!" He yelled back.

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid." I glared at him. "Magic isn't real, and you're being horrible, Sirius."

"Fine," He snapped. "I'll show you!" He took out a wooden stick that looked like the one James had in his pocket, though this one was longer. He waved it around and said something that sounded completely foreign to me, and big flowers burst out the end of it. I blanched at the sight of them. He said something else, and small birds flew out of the end of the stick, and I couldn't take my eyes off them as they fluttered away. Then, he dropped the stick, and _changed_. He changed right in front of me into a big black dog that wagged its tail and panted at me. I stared at it in horror, wondering what was happening. But before I could form any sort of intelligent thought, I heard someone yell behind me.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing?" I whirled around and faced a brown-haired boy who looked our age. He had a tired face that was set in a horror-stricken expression that I was sure matched mine.

"Stay out of this, Moony." Sirius snapped back, who had turned into a human being again.

"She's a muggle, Sirius!" The boy - Moony? - yelled at Sirius. "Do you realize how completely _careless_ this is? If the Ministry finds out…" He shook his head and stared at me. "Are you alright?" He asked me, not unkindly.

"It's no problem, Remus." Sirius cocked an eyebrow haughtily at the boy. "Amy's fine. She won't tell anyone, will you?"

I couldn't speak. My gaze travelled from Sirius to the motorbike that was sitting innocently on the grass, to the boy whose name I wasn't sure of. I was so beyond confused, wondering how any of this is possible. I was sure I wasn't sleeping, though this couldn't be real either. Before I could speak, we were interrupted again, this time by James who was striding toward us.

"What's going on?" He frowned at Sirius, then at me. "What are you doing here?"

"Sirius just _flew_ the motorbike with her on it, James." Remus glared at Sirius, though it didn't seem as angry as before. "Then he showed her his animagus form."

"I told you to stay out of this." Sirius barked at him, and I recoiled.

James was staring open-mouthed at Sirius, as if he couldn't comprehend what was happening. After a few seconds, he turned to me again. "It's okay." He spoke steadily, though he wasn't speaking to me. "It's fine. We'll just take her back and obliviate her."

I blanched. What did that mean? That did not sound friendly. In fact, it sounded menacing. I shuffled toward Sirius, away from the other two boys in front of me.

"No, you won't." Sirius spoke up. "She's _fine."_

"This isn't happening." I mumbled, shaking my head firmly. "This isn't happening at all. I'm dreaming."

"This is very reckless, Sirius." The tired boy sighed, ignoring me. "The Ministry can't find out. We have to obliviate her before they do."

"Moony's right, mate." James said. "It's the only thing to do." He took out his stick and pointed at me.

"No!" Sirius growled.

"It needs to be done, Padfoot." James grimaced, raising his stick higher.

Sirius stepped in front of me, and I grabbed the back of his shirt protectively. He didn't say anything, and I couldn't see the silent communication that was happening between them, my head stubbornly buried in his shirt. Suddenly, Sirius spoke up again. "Fine," He sighed. "But I'll do it."

He turned toward me, and I let go of his shirt quickly. My eyes filled with horrified tears as he pointed the stick toward me, my whole body shaking violently. I was so certain I was about to die, or get blown up. I shook my head furiously at him as he frowned.

"Please," I pleaded. "Please don't." Tears streamed freely down my face, and before I could hear what Sirius was going to say, I fainted.

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. My laptop decided it didn't love me anymore.**

**But it's all right, because I got a spanking new MacBook Pro to replace it. It's so beautiful *strokes***

**One more chapter to go aaah! I expect I'll upload it pretty quickly, since I'm done with uni until September, and I'm not a fan of lazy summers.**

**Reviews and comments are TRES appreciated. Merci. **


	7. Growing Up and Realising

"If you don't wait for me before crossing that road, Stewart, I will see that your PlayStation never sees the light of day again!" I yelled out, scurrying after the eleven year old.

Becky let go of my hand and hurried after her brother, and they both waited at the corner as I tried to walk faster without dropping the shopping I was carrying. As I sidled up to them, I scolded. "Don't forget to look at _both_ sides of the road this time. And hold hands, please."

"Yes, mum." Stewart rolled his eyes and reached for Becky's hand. I stifled a yawn as we crossed the road, and I couldn't wait to get into a nice hot bath as soon as we got in. I really didn't enjoy school holidays, since the children were always so restless.

"Did you get me a Mars Bar, mummy?" Becky asked as we reached Swan Grove, and I nodded.

"Yes dear, I'll get it out once I'm in." I assured her, and then added before Stewart could open his mouth. "I got you one too, though you won't see it if you don't tidy up your room, mister."

Just as we neared our home, the shopping bag split, littering the street with the groceries I had purchased. I groaned, and told the children to hurry inside, and that I would be right behind them. Our house was large and square, and looked like every other house on Swan Grove. I was so adamant on having a _pretty_ house, and I was set on a smaller but much more aesthetic bungalow near the train station. This house completely won me over, however, when I saw the back garden. It was huge, with a big vegetable patch and room to fit the trampoline as well as a big shed for Niall's car parts.

I looked down from our home and wiped the hair off my face. It really was getting too long, but I haven't had the time to get it cut in ages. As I picked up the thankfully intact milk carton, I had the eerie feeling that someone was watching me. I glanced around me uncertainly, but all I saw was an old woman walking through the road. I shook myself, picked up the rest of the shopping and was about to head inside when I saw a tin of tomatoes that had rolled behind the neighbour's shrubs. I scurried toward it, and bent over to pick it up. That's when I saw it behind the bush. It was huge, with black matted fur and bright eyes that surveyed me. I stood up quickly, keeping my wary eyes on the giant canine. It didn't move as I neared it, nor did it bare its teeth, which I took as a good sign. It looked so familiar, and I wondered if it belonged to one of the neighbors', though I somehow doubted anyone in this neighbourhood would want a dog the size of a small bear.

"I know you." I said to it, then realized how stupid I must have looked, speaking to a dog that probably had no idea what I was saying.

"Mum!"

I turned toward the house and saw Becky at our front doorstep.

"Mum!" She repeated. "Stewart keeps saying I'm not allowed to name his new cat, but he _promised_ that I could call it whatever I wanted if I gave him my dessert last night."

"Just get in, Becky. I'll sort it out in a minute." I turned toward the dog again, and it was still standing there, looking at me. I hadn't been around animals much, but I was sure that normal dogs wouldn't just sit there without moving an inch.

"Who do you belong to?" I asked it, trying to peer through its fur for a collar. "Did that cow Mrs. Miller get you? I swear, if she lets you shit in my garden like she lets her stupid cats do, I will… write a very stern letter." I sighed at my apathy, and looked the dog over. It let out a very short bark as a response to my speech, and I glared.

"Even dogs laugh at me." I mumbled. "Well, hurry along then." I waved my hand in dismissal, but the dog didn't move at all.

"_Mum!_"

"I'm coming!" I yelled out and hurried in to the house, not looking back.

* * *

That night, I lay awake in bed, unable to fall asleep. There were many moments in my life when I had thought I was going insane, when I'd have strange dreams about floating objects and flying vehicles. Whenever I told Niall about them, he would shake his head and say that they are just reoccurring dreams, that they didn't mean anything. But I knew. I knew they meant something. I knew that many years ago, I had woken up in my room shaking, with thoughts of dark-haired boys and motorcycles filling my head. I had spent months living through it all again, sure that I was losing my mind. I didn't mention it to anyone, avoided seeing anything that would remind me of it all. It was only after I met Niall that I began to forget. It seemed like a distant memory, an oddly vivid dream I had once. But a few weeks ago, it all came crashing on me again, and I knew it must have been real. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, it must have been real.

I let out a sigh and got out of bed quickly. Niall stirred next to me but didn't wake. I tiptoed past the children's bedrooms and made my way downstairs to the kitchen. I stood at the window and looked out into our garden. It was a quiet night, and the grass looked wet from the evening rain. I narrowed my eyes when I spotted a bright orange object on the grass. Recently, the brat next door has started throwing his toys into our garden before crying to his mum that Stewart was stealing them. I slipped my shoes on and went outside, muttering to myself.

"Stupid spoiled little arse, thinking he could bully Stewart, well, I'll bloody show him, won't I?" I threw the toy as hard as I could into their garden, smiling as it made a pleasing thud when it hit their grass. When I turned around, I started and had to cover my mouth quickly to stop myself from screaming.

"Oh good God," I spluttered, clutching my chest. "You scared the bejesus out of me."

The dog scuttled forward, and stopped a few feet from me. I stared at it, scared to voice out what I had realized about it as soon as I got in the house that afternoon.

"You're… you're Sirius, aren't you?" I grimaced. The dog merely stared back at me, though I could swear its head bobbed slightly in a nod. A silence elapsed as the dog and I eyed each other, and I tried to comprehend what was going on. After a few minutes, I spoke again. "Well, are you hungry?" The dog let out a short bark again, and I grinned meekly. I hurried inside the kitchen and grabbed the leftovers from the roast dinner we had, and a jug of water. When I stepped into our garden again, the dog was gone. In his place stood a man with dirty black hair that was cut short, his face slightly sunken. His eyes looked slightly hollow, but grinned at me, bearing yellowing teeth.

"Cheers, Amy." He said as I set down the food on the table. I wiped the wet seat of a chair with a kitchen towel and sat down. He ate the food hurriedly, and I let him lapse into silence as he chewed through the chicken. After he had slowed down, I spoke up.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

He swallowed. "Your dad. I went back to the village, and he was talking to someone about how he was going to visit you here next week in front of the bike shop."

I nodded. "How are you?"

He shrugged. "Been better. Been worse too, mind." He added, grinning at me again. It was hard to think that this person was the same handsome young man I met so many summers ago. I gulped, recalling last year's shock when I turned on the evening news and saw his face enlarged on the screen. I hadn't recognized him until they repeated his name, and even then I thought it was some sort of odd coincidence.

"You're not… an armed murderer, are you?" I asked tentatively.

He let a bark-like laugh. "Not particularly."

"Good." I nodded, feeling silly. "I didn't think you were, but you should always check with these sorts of things, I suppose."

He smiled. "Clever of you."

I looked him over, and I had to ask. "That… night. It happened, right? With the bike?"

He smiled sadly at me. "Yes. You passed out and I took you back to your house. James wanted to wipe your memory, and I told him I would."

I nodded again, wondering if my life would have been easier if he had just done what James asked him to do. "How is he? James, I mean?"

"Dead."

"Oh." I was shocked. I never knew what to say in these situations. "I'm sorry, Sirius."

He shrugged and lowered his eyes to his food. Another silence elapsed, and I wondered if I should tell him about what has been plaguing my mind for the past few weeks, but he broke the silence first.

"I suppose you're not a Greene anymore, then?"

"I haven't been for a while." I smiled. "Amy Ackerley now, thank you."

"Suits you." He smiled back, "And I saw your kids. I'm assuming they're yours?"

I nodded. I thought that if there were ever a perfect time to bring it up, it was then. I hesitated for a moment, wondering how to phrase it. "My son, my eldest. He's always been a bit… strange."

"Well, you _are_ his mother." Sirius said, and I let out a half-hearted laugh before continuing.

"Odd things always happened when he was angry. The telly blew up once when his sister wouldn't let him watch his program. When someone tried to bully him in school, he went missing for an entire school day, and they only found him when the final bell rang on top of a supply cupboard."

Sirius listened intently, his gaze not leaving mine. I wondered if he knew what was coming, or if he could just sense the fear in my voice as I spoke.

"He got a letter in the mail a few weeks ago... From- from Hogwarts."

It was the first time that Sirius broke out into a genuine smile, and I briefly saw the young man I had been so infatuated with. "Amy, that's fantastic."

"Is it?" I asked, voicing the concern that has been eating me up ever since Stewart opened that letter.

"He'll be okay." Sirius assured me. "My godson is starting his fourth year there soon. I can ask him to look out for him, if you want me to."

"Oh no, that will just embarrass Stewart." I said quickly. "He's not one for attention."

"Have you told Chris?" Sirius grinned. "I bet he would have died of jealousy."

I shook my head. "I haven't spoken to Christopher since he left for uni. He's an accountant now, I heard."

"That's sad." Sirius said, and I wasn't sure if he was referring to our estrangement or Chris' chosen profession.

I shrugged, not knowing what to say. Then, I heard a noise inside our house.

"Amy?" Niall called out.

I turned to Sirius quickly. "That's my husband." I said, and he transformed into a dog again.

Niall came into the garden. "What are you doing out here?" He asked curiously, glancing at the now empty plate on the table, then the dog that stood next to it.

"Oh, I found a stray." I said weakly.

"That's… nice." He said slowly, frowning at the dog. "You fed him?"

I nodded, standing up. "Just our leftover dinner. I'll come inside now."

"Alright." Niall said, and kissed my cheek briefly. "Becky woke up with a nightmare, but I put her in bed again. I was just getting her a glass of water."

"She's been having those a lot, hasn't she?" I said, hoping my voice didn't betray anything. "I'll bring the water up, you can go back to bed."

I turned toward the dog, and bent to stroke its fur. "You can come back anytime, Sirius." I whispered, then stood up and went inside.

**A/N: And that's that. I used descriptions from PoA and GoB for Sirius. Harry said his hair was shorter when he spoke to him in the fire before the first task, so that's why.**

**The name Stewart Ackerley was taken from GoB's sorting. He got sorted into Ravenclaw.**


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